Review: The Dish by Stella Newman

Title: The Dish
Author: Stella Newman
Publisher: Headline
Publication Date: 12th February 2015
Pages: 460
ISBN: 9781472220073
Source: Review Copy
Rating: 4/5
Purchase: Amazon

When Laura Parker first crosses forks with Adam Bayley, she's only after one thing: his custard doughnut. But when she takes a closer look she sees a talented, handsome man who outshines the string of jokers she's been dating.

There's just one problem. Adam's job means Laura has to keep her job as restaurant critic for The Dish, a secret. Tricky for someone who prides herself on honesty.

Can the truth be put on ice long enough for love to flourish?

And how can you expect your boyfriend to be honest if you're not quite telling the truth yourself?

I wanted to start this review with a food-related pun but I just can't. The one on my proof copy is brilliant though: Fiction has never tasted so good. A brilliant line, and so very true. The Dish was a delightful read, and if I'm honest I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. This was my first read from Stella Newman, but I've wanted to check out her work ever since hosting her on my blog just before Christmas with this brilliant guest post.

I have to say that despite the obvious similarities a story like this brings, I did find The Dish to be a really refreshing and exciting read. A mixture I think of Stella's wonderful writing and characterisation, the use of emails throughout the book and Stella's ability to really draw the reader in, and make them care for her characters and what happens to them. Laura inadvertently meets Adam when he is served the final cream doughnut in a cafe, the doughnut she wanted. An attraction is formed and a friendship develops between the pair. Both have secrets that they don't yet want to share. Laura's is that she is a restaurant critic, with a bad review about Adam's restaurant ready to be printed...

Laura was just fantastic and I loved her from very early on. She's definitely a character I feel women will really be able to relate to, seeing bits of themselves in her and they will definitely be able to root for her as the story progresses. I think Laura is a much easier character for women to relate to than some that I've read about. She's a realistic character, an everyday kind of woman and this is a very believable story. She isn't that woman living what for the average person is an unobtainable life.

The Dish isn't a short read, and despite me reading this in just a couple of days, I did find it a little slow at times. If I was to liken it to food it'd be like waiting for a meal when you are really hungry. I was hungry for this story to pick up, and to feel some excitement or tension. Everything just moved at a nice pace in the beginning, but a little slow also. Writing about about food equals instant win for me, and reading the book (and my guest post) it became clear Stella has a real passion and knowledge for what she is writing about. My thoughts were proven when I Googled her to find out more. I will almost certainly be reading more from Stella in the future and have no trouble whatsoever in recommending this book. Stock up on plenty of cakes, pick up this book and enjoy. You won't regret it (the book that is, can't say the same for the cakes...)

4/5